The comet may be destroyed as it travels around the sun

The comet, named ISON, is scheduled to fly past the sun on Thanksgiving Day. The comet was first sighted last year and has been picking up speed as it travels toward the sun. Last week the comet clocked in at 150,000 mph and it is expected to reach 828,000 mph as it goes around the sun. If the celestial body survives its close encounter with the sun, then it will remain visible to the naked eye for 30 days. The comet, which poses no danger to Earth, will be at its closest to our planet on Dec. 26, reports Fox News.

NASA has rated ISON, which is pronounced EYE’-sahn, as the most examined comet ever. ISON was detected by a pair of Russians in September 2012 and is named after the International Scientific Optical Network used to identify it. NASA has dedicated several telescopes, including the Hubble telescope, to the study of ISON and is also pointing every spacecraft with a camera to watch the comet, Fox News notes.

According to The Washington Times, those who want to catch a glimpse of ISON should look to the east about an hour before the sun rises. The news outlet also suggest that viewers try to view the comet in darker areas — such as outside cities — with no cloud cover.